Seal of Fate: Theft of a Princess
by dogma353
Summary: After Krystal finally deals with the issues of her past and gets engaged to Damien, she encounters new challenges. Her father returns from the dead, and a new enemy appears, along with a mysterious sword Arulo that has the power to change the outcome...
1. CHapter One

Chapter One

***Krystal***

"It's time to awake, my lady," A familiar voice spoke from the other side of the room. The sound of curtains being opened barely registered in my mind until the morning sun illuminated the room. I groaned softly at the sudden rush of light and rolled over on the large bed, pulling the blankets over my head. Why did I have to get up so early? Well, maybe it wasn't exactly early but I just didn't like the sunlight. My eyes instinctively opened as the blankets were ripped off of me and I looked at the man standing over me. His raven hair matched his ghostly pale skin perfectly and hung slightly in his face, leaving an air of mystery about him. A soft chuckle passed his lips and he smiled, gazing at me with amusement in his crimson eyes. "You don't want to miss breakfast now, do you?" he questioned. I sighed and sat up.

"It would be nice to sleep in every so often, Damion," I said, standing up. He immediately began to make the bed and chuckled again, a sound that warmed my heart- though he didn't say anything. I watched him, a small smile coming to my lips. The demon stood up straight when he had finished making my bed. He towered over me, by nearly a foot.

"Alexander is waiting," he said with a bow before he turned on his heel and walked out, closing the door silently behind him. I shook my head slightly and glanced around the large room, quickly spotting the clothes that Damion had already laid out on the desk: A simple short black skirt with a plain black v-neck t-shirt. Swiftly changing out of my pajamas and into the clean clothes, I made my way to the bathroom where I went through my morning routine and soon exited.

The mansion was anything but silent. There was a loud crash that could be heard all across the building and the sounds of people shouting. As I neared the dining room, I could make out what was being said.

"Look what you did!" the familiar sound of Jacob's voice panicked.

"Do you think Damion's going to notice?" the timid, worried voice of a female replied.

"Of course he's going to notice! You broke an entire shelf of bloody plates!" Jacob answered. I raised an eyebrow curiously and rounded the corner, wanting to know what had happened. I sighed, seeing broken glass of fancy plates scattered across the floor. My eyes made their way up to see Jacob and Alice, two of the servants that worked for Alexander.

"How in the world did you manage this mess?" I asked, looking between them. Alice frowned and looked up at me.

"It was an accident, honest!" she said. Her expression was slightly panicked. Before I could even respond to her, I felt a familiar, dark presence. I turned my head slightly to look beside me and saw Damion, wearing an annoyed expression. The sight of the butler made Alice jump, "D-Damion!"

"Explain to me how this happened," he responded, gazing directly at her and crossing his arms over his chest.

"Um…W-Well, I was carrying the plates to the kitchen to prepare for our guests and I well...I sort of tripped," she babbled nervously, fidgeting with her fingers.

A long sigh passed his lips and he put a hand under his chin. "Must you make my job harder?" he questioned. "Can I trust you to clean up this mess?"

Alice nodded wildly, and then looked up at him. She smiled and nodded, "Yes, of course I can handle it."

He looked down at her for a moment, scrutinizing her, before nodding. "Good. I expect this mess will be cleaned up quickly without any other complications. When you're done, go sweep the main hall. That should be a task even you can handle." He turned to leave, but before he moved he smiled down at me.

"Hello, Lady Krystal," he greeted and then walked away to serve breakfast. I nodded in response and returned his smile.

"How are you not afraid of him?" Jacob asked me, crossing his arms.

I laughed, "He's not that scary," I said. "Now if you'll excuse me, I have to get breakfast." They both nodded and began sweeping the shards of glass into a dustpan while I made my way to the dining room.

"Breakfast this morning is traditional bangers and mash, consisting of sausages and mashed potatoes," Damion began as he set a plate down in front of Alexander. He made his way to set a plate down in front of me and then he stood by Alexander's side. "During the wartime rationing, the sausages were so filled with water that when they were fried they would often explode, which is how they earned the nickname bangers," he stated as we began to eat. The only reason that he had been serving as Alexander's employee as of late was because Alexander had something that Damion wanted; a sword, from what I'm told.

"Delicious, as always," I commented as I ate. The taste was extraordinary though it was no less than to be expected from him. I glanced around the room. Alexander, as usual, ate silently, looking down at the table uninterested. The lack of emotion from the boy was rather aggravating at times. It seemed that things had quieted down from when Alice broke the plates, which was good. I noticed my father missing, though I guess that wasn't too surprising considering he despised Damion.

"Good morning, love," the familiar, deep voice of Aeron Fate spoke. I instantly snapped out of my thoughts and looked up to see the demon king walk into the room. He sent a hateful glance to Damion before turning his gaze back to me. His auburn hair hung down messily as if he just woke up and his crimson eyes were bright, popping out with his tanned skin and white attire. I nodded in acknowledgement.

"Hello, father," I replied, looking down at my empty plate. Damion stepped forward and took the plate away, grabbing Alexander's as well before silently going into the kitchen to place them in the sink and begin the dishes. Aeron watched the butler leave and his lips twisted into a smirk.

"It's sad that such a boy of your stature had to hire such a filthy servant," he spoke to Alexander, referring to Damion. Alexander stood up, an emotionless expression on his face.

"Damion is a perfectly capable worker. He is much more qualified than those incompetent fools who dare call themselves servants," he stated, his voice somewhat cold. He sipped his tea before turning to leave. He stopped at the door, turning just enough so that his dark blue eye visible through his indigo hair. "Do not let your petty rivalry get in the way of my work."

"Of course not, _Master _Alexander," Aeron said, his tone mocking. Alexander huffed slightly and exited the room to go to his office and work. I sighed. He was still so young and he had so much responsibility, since his parents were killed during the war. I shook my head to rid me of the thoughts.

"Just because you are royalty does not mean that you should be so disrespectful, father," I stated. His crimson orbs turned to me, the smirk still glued to his lips.

"Just because you are royalty does not mean that you have to be so polite," he countered and I sighed, shaking my head.

"I've got things to do," I excused myself and walked out.


	2. Chapter Two

~*Damion*~

I heard the conversation between Krystal and her father, smirking slightly. Faint relief washed over me when Krystal said that she had things to do and left. By the tone of her voice and the way she spoke, she wasn't as fond of her father as she used to be. Drying my hands off, I pulled my sleeves down and turned to look at the man in the doorway, who a normal human would never have noticed.

"Your glares do nothing to me, Aeron," I stated, crimson orbs locking with his. He simply smirked, though it looked more like a sneer.

"You always were a troublesome one. You never respected your superior," he replied, his sneer turning into a frown. I chuckled darkly.

"Why would I respect the man trying to keep me from the woman I love?" I questioned, stepping closer to him. We were equal in height, though he was more muscular; with broad shoulders and a square jaw.

"You know you won't get her. She's mine and she always will be." Aeron growled possessively.

"We'll see about that. Besides, it's wrong nowadays to have interest in your own daughter." I stated.

He rolled his eyes. "For humans, yes. We are demons. Beasts. Normal rules don't apply to us." Krystal soon walked in, informing me that Alexander wanted me to be ready to go investigate the case of 'Jack the Ripper.' I nodded to her and she sent an annoyed glance to her father before walking out of the room.

"It seems I'm winning," I cooed, turning around and walking out of the room, leaving him there with clenched fists. Oh how fun it was to mess with him. This little game was amusing, indeed. Of course, the end result could be and most likely would be fatal for one of us. A smirk found its way to my lips as I thought about that. There was nothing a demon loved more than a good fight. Well, aside from a deliciously pure soul. And I was very much looking forward to an encounter with Aeron. The only complication was that we could not allow Krystal to know just exactly how far our history extends. It seemed things would get more interesting from here.


	3. Chapter Three

***Damien***

"Alexander, we must make this quick. It's going to rain this evening and we wouldn't want you to get sick," Damion stated as he assisted the boy in putting on his coat. Alexander made a simple 'che' sound and walked out. With a sigh, the demon turned to me and smiled slightly. "Please try to make sure that the manor stays in one piece," he requested. "I will see you this evening," he stated, placing a soft kiss on my lips and then turning on his heel and walking out swiftly. I sighed as I watched them leave, the sounds of a whip being cracked and horses hooves stomping the ground as they headed off coming through the closed door.

What to do, what to do? I didn't have my dear friend Naomi here anymore, so it was rather boring. With a sigh, I tucked some dark hair behind my ear and turned around to go and find something to occupy myself with. I yelped softly as I nearly ran into my father, who was now directly behind me, amusement dancing in his eyes.

"A bit jumpy, aren't we?" he mused. I rolled my eyes.

"It's a little hard not to be jumpy when you suddenly appear behind someone," I stated, moving around him. He simply chuckled and loosely crossed his arms as he watched me.

"Your 17th birthday is approaching," he stated. With a sigh, I turned to look at him.

"I know when my own bloody birthday is," I said to him, coating the words with sarcasm.

"How do you plan to celebrate?" he questioned as if I hadn't said anything at all. His question made me blink, thinking for a moment. I really hadn't planned to do anything at all… I wasn't really old enough to drink or anything of the sort and I wasn't particularly interested in a party. Sighing, I shrugged.

"I really don't know. Most likely just stay home," I thought aloud.

"Sounds exciting," he said sarcastically. "I may just have to kidnap you and show you how to have fun," he mused. The expression on his face as he, I assumed, imagined what he would do made my skin crawl and without another word I turned and walked out.

He had changed so much since I was young. What exactly happened to him? I slowly made my way outside to the garden and sat down on a stone bench. The purple chrysanthemums, Alexander's favorite, were blooming. It was strange, considering that it was too cold for them to be in season, but with Damons…supernatural abilities, you could never know what would happen.

A slight shiver ran down my spine and my hair was whipped back as a cold wind blew, though it quickly subsided to a breeze and I relaxed a little, turning my gaze to the white, puffy clouds that floated in the bright blue sky. Before I knew it, memories of my past washed through my mind and I lost myself in thoughts.

Aeron used to be nice, caring, and sweet. Protective? Yes. But what father wasn't? At that time, I had no idea of the world of demons, and everything of the supernatural. My mother was human, as was I. Or so I thought. My father was a demon. A very powerful one, at that. The king, to be specific. Some even called him 'the no life king.' But that one day, when I was about 14, and the fire happened, my entire life was changed….

I couldn't make out the faces of the two men who had done it. At least, I assume that they were men from the way their bodies were built and their height. Though one was significantly taller than the other. My senses were fogged up from the heat and the smoke. My lungs were burning and felt as if they were going to explode. Tears filled my eyes both from the pain of the beating and the smoke filling them.


	4. Chapter Four

**~Sebastian~**

"Let us examine the bodies," Alexander growled, clearly agitated. I looked to the undertaker, who was simply smiling his usual insane smile.

"The victims' bodies are not for the public to see," he chirped, sitting on his desk. The man really was odd. His white-grey hair looked as if it had been cut by a razorblade; choppy and uneven and falling to his shoulder blades. He had unusually milky white complexion with crystal like grey eyes and an unattractive scar that ran down his cheek from the corner of his right eye to his chin.

"We are conducting an investigation! We have the right to examine them," the boy nearly shouted. I could see the muscles tighten as his jaw clenched. With a sigh, I stepped in to save him any trouble.

"Daniel, Please allow us access. It is very important to our case to find any information possible that could assist us in finding the culprit," I said smoothly, gazing directly at the undertaker. After a few moments of thought, he grinned, showing his sharp teeth.

"I'll let you inspect the bodies. IF you can make me laugh," he stated, looking between me and the young brat. Alexander brought his hand up, pinching the bridge of his nose with his thumb and forefinger, his indigo eyes closed.

"Damion, hurry this up," he commanded, not looking up as he spoke. Giving a nod, I thought for a moment. With a serious expression, I did an impression of the Queen. In response, the man broke out into a fit of laughter, waving us along.

"You realize that was insulting," Alexander muttered as we stepped through the large, creaky wooden door into the back room. I didn't give him a response. My eyes quickly scanned the space. There were empty coffins scattered along the walls. Most of them were a plain, sleek black with red velvet inside. Spider webs hung down, filling up the corners of the dim lit room. Towards the back, there were tables with bodies on them, though only I was able to see the details until we stepped up to the counter. Upon examining the corpses, we both noticed key clues.

"They're all women," Alexander observed. Nodding, I walked to the other side of the table and lifted the old stained linen blanket that was covering one. I stared blankly down at the mauled body as a look of disgust came to Alexanders face. The poor girls all had slashes across their necks and their bellies split; though the organs having been removed already by the undertaker for disposal. The ragged flesh was still stained with blood.

"They all look between 19 to 30…" Alexander stated thoughtfully. Quiet tapping could be heard as he walked from one to the next, studying at each of them. "And are nearly completely drained of blood." He finished his thought. It was clear that they were all prostitutes, by the thick makeup they wore.

I glanced up at the boy, pulling the blanket over the lifeless heap once more. "It appears that whoever Jack the Ripper is, he or she doesn't like women."

"We've gotten all we need from here," he stated, pulling his coat tighter around himself, turning and swiftly walking out. Silently, I followed behind him, nodding a goodbye to the strange undertaker, Daniel.

"Be sure to remember all of that," he said. His gaze was fixed forward and I gave a small nod.

"Of course," I said. The details were already imprinted into my memory and suspects popping into my brain; Images of people who disliked women. Only a few faces were clear, but I couldn't say anything until there was further evidence. All we have now is simply guesses.

"Damion! Alexander!" An annoyingly familiar voice cried out, followed by the sloshing of boots on wet stone. Marlow; the completely flippant friend of Alexander's now dead mother. He had burgundy locks and mossy green eyes. He was dressed in dark grey dress pants and a white button down shirt with a tie and tan trench-coat to protect himself from the rain.

"What the hell do you want…?" Alexander muttered unhappily. Marlow had never really been liked among the majority, yet he seemed to never take a hint.

"I'm here on business," he answered finally; after some bothersome affection. "Plus I wanted to visit. Is that such a crime?"

I let out a long, heavy sigh and closed my eyes for a brief moment, soon opening them again. "I suppose." I said, glancing down at Alexander. His hands were stuffed into his jacket pockets as he glared up at the redhead.

"I don't even need to ask if you're staying with me," he muttered. "Don't make a mess of the place," he commanded as he climbed into the carriage without another word. I let Marlow in first before I followed and closed the door behind me, sitting next to Alexander on the squishy leather seats. Marlow sat across from me.

As much as I didn't like the idea of the hyperactive man staying with us, it could be beneficial. Perhaps some more clues for the case would pop up. Of course, only time would tell.


	5. Chapter Five

*Krystal*

The sun was just beginning to set, the sky become a stunning mixture of purples and pinks. According to the large grandfather clock, it was 7:23 pm. Damion had asked me to meet him in the garden; naturally, I said yes. It took a while to decide what I would wear, but eventually I settled on a fitting, dark red silk dress. The dress stopped just below my knees and had about an inch of black lace along all the edges. My dark brown hair hung straight down slightly past my shoulders and had a soft wave. I complimented my sapphire eyes with a small bit of eyeliner and mascara. Giving myself one final satisfied look in the shiny mirror on the bathroom wall, I walked out of my large Victorian style bedroom.

It seemed that most everyone was either asleep or doing work, since the manor seemed abandoned; or even haunted. The silent, eerie aura of the space sent a shudder down my spine and my pace quickened until I saw the safety of the bulky wooden door that lead outside. Taking a deep, calming breath, I walked outside into the early evening. The cool air softly blew my hair back and I had to push some loose strands out of my face.

When I saw Damion, my heart skipped a beat. He was so perfect. His raven hair hung loosely around his face. The candle light made his spectral skin seem to glow. His scarlet eyes shone with a warm, peaceful glint that was so rarely seen around the young Alexander or my father. He was wearing a formal black suit. The sleeve of his jacket had a small tear that he never bothered to mend. I remembered giving it to him when I had first awakened my demon half and attacked him. I still feel guilty for that. Though really there was nothing to worry about. He was powerful, and I knew I couldn't hurt him even if I tried. Briefly, I wondered if he had left it there on purpose.

"Good evening, milady," he greeted with a soft smile; his velvety voice like music to my ears. I returned his smile and approached slowly, as if any quick movement would make this dreamlike scene dissolve. When I stood before him, he swiftly wrapped his strong arms around my waist, leaning down to place a chaste kiss on my lips. My cheeks turned a bright red and I closed my eyes; kissing him back in response.

"Why did you want me to meet you out here?" I asked when he had pulled away, making his smile morph into a smirk.

"I wanted to ask you a question," he stated, reaching into his right pants pocket. He pulled out a small, black velvet box and got down on one knee, opening it to reveal a ring. It was polished silver with swirls weaving around a shimmering sapphire stone. There was an engraving on the inside of the band, reading _I love you, my princess _in beautiful calligraphy. "Will you marry me?" he questioned gently. Though my mouth opened, I couldn't respond. No sound would force its way out of my throat. All I could do was nod and stare as he put the item on my finger. He stood straight once again, wrapping me securely in his arms; a soft chuckle making his chest vibrate. Going unnoticed even by him, a large hairy black spider sat on a tree branch, swiftly scurried away.

"They're what?" A boy about 14 years of age shouted in aggravation.

"They are engaged, Alexander," a deep, mature voice spoke from the darkness.

"No! We can't let them be wed!"

"There is nothing we can do."

"There has to be! Aeron will be angry if we allow this to happen! Besides, you hate Damion." After a moment of silence, a tall man stepped forth from the shroud of obscurity. He had raven black hair that fell in small curls around his face and insipid skin. His violet, snake-like eyes were hypnotizing; his expression blank. Thoughts were clearly running through his mind as he watched the boy intently.

"Capture her."

"I do not approve of your command to kill over simple jealousy. Your soul will not taste nearly as good now that you have tainted it more."

"You must obey me, Kirai. Capture her, and that's an order!"

"Yes, my lord," Kirai responded. He put his right hand across his chest and bowed lowly. Without another word, the violet eyed demon was gone in an instant.


	6. Chapter Six

**~*~ Krystal ~*~**

I sighed, once again alone in my bedroom in the oversized manor. Damion and Alexander had left early that afternoon to do some investigating; saying that there was new evidence on 'Jack the Ripper.' I loathed being alone; especially at night. Anything could happen. So many monsters lurked in the dark; every turn could take me into a whole new world of terrors.

My ears perked, catching a faint sound that became louder and clearer as the seconds ticked by. It was the sound of fire crackling; twirling in the air as if to ensure that I heard. My body became increasingly hot and a faint scream echoed. Visions of the slaughter became a moving picture before my eyes. My throat became tight in remembrance of the poisoning smoke that once filled my lungs. The sensation was so real, yet when I spun around the room, there were no flames. No smoke. No heat.

"Calm down, Krystal. It's just your imagination…" I whispered to myself. The moment my voice broke the silence, the disturbing feelings ceased; leaving nothing but the eerie quiet of the night in its wake. I let out a shaky sigh. None of it was real. It was all in my mind. I repeated the words over and over in my head, but reasoning with myself wasn't working. A fog of fright still lingered over me and my heart refused to calm its rapid beating.

_Bum-bum…Bum-bum…Bum-bum…_

'Perhaps a bath would calm my nerves…'

As I turned around, I froze in mid step. Out the clear, glossy window, a cold pair of fiery violet eyes greeted me in a snake-like stare that immobilized me. A mist of confusion crept into my mind, forcing any logical thoughts to escape- leaving a blank emptiness where the instinct to flee should have been.

A right-minded person would have turned and ran, but of course, like any unwise person in a horror story: I moved closer as if in a trance.

As the small space between the window and I closed, the fog in my mind became thicker and a sickening dizziness made me stumble, nearly tripping over my own two feet. My muscles felt as though they were made of lead, making every movement an effort joined by a high pitched ringing sound that blocked out nearly all other noises; making the scene feel unreal.

Like a puppet being controlled by strings, my hands ghosted to the latch. My numb fingers flipped the rusted metal up, hearing an audible click, signaling the space being unlocked. Almost instantly, the cold window swung open with a whoosh; the white linen curtains whipping around violently in response to the sudden rush of wind.

By the time my mind was able to process exactly what I had done, it was too late; Kirai Deyanira stood before me a measly few feet away. Something about him seemed so familiar…but I just couldn't pinpoint what it was. He was tall: at least 6 feet in height with curled black hair that was combed out of his face neatly and he wore a black suit with silver rimmed glasses. His ghostly pale skin perfectly complimented his fluorescent eyes. He was lean yet muscular with a square jaw and he almost always wore a blank expression. His mere presence made the world seem gloomier.

My throat refused to make any sort of noise no matter how hard I tried. An overwhelming fear crowded me, making the large room seem no bigger than a packed closet. Despite the illusion of being paralyzed, I managed to move my feet and slowly back away from him.

"My master has ordered me to obtain you," he stated, his voice deep and taunting. I wasn't quite sure if he realized his natural tone or not, but that wasn't very relevant to the current situation.

My back was now against the wall, looking up at the demon. A large, fuzzy black spider with spindly long legs and dripping pincers jumped down and landed on my right shoulder, earning a loud yelp from me. The arachnid teasingly clacked its fangs together in my ear; a sound that would make the toughest of men uneasy. The disconcerting sound sent a violent shudder down my spine and I attempted to flick it off with my middle finger but I failed. It was as if it had known my plan before I even moved my hand and was able to dodge to the edge of my shoulder. My heart raced and my gaze found its way to the man before me, my stomach in knots. This wasn't going to end well…I mentally cursed at Jack the Ripper; whoever he may be. If it weren't for the mystery killer, I wouldn't be alone and Kirai wouldn't have even had the opportunity to get close to me.

With the speed of a cobra, he lunged forward and placed a forceful blow on the back of my head, instantly knocking me out and sending me into a pit of blackness.


	7. Chapter Seven

~*~ Damien ~*~

A long sigh passed my lips as I sat in the carriage, Alexander occasionally making an unwanted comment about the rainy weather or his incompetent workers or any other random thing he didn't like.

"I do hope you realize that I'm going to be taking Arulo soon," I informed him. The look that he gave me made it clear that he wouldn't be cooperating. I held up my finger to shush him when he opened his mouth to speak. "It's not wise to play games with a demon. You should know better than that by now. Our indenture has almost expired, and I will be taking Arulo."

"Hmph. You should treat your employer with more respect," he responded coldly.

"But my lord, you haven't employed me; you've blackmailed me." The conversation ended at that, a frown on his lips and the atmosphere tense. The vehicle came to a sudden halt, causing both of us to jolt forward in our seats. Alexander cussed under his breath about the lack of control from the driver, making me roll my eyes as I opened the door and stepped out. If he didn't have what I wanted, I wouldn't be putting up with that brat. At least our time together was coming to a close; though not swift enough, it seemed.

The mansion seemed…off… Though it was late, it shouldn't seem so empty. Even from the outside, the building appeared abandoned. Grey stones paved the path before us, leading to the threshold. The only light that illuminated the path was a lantern hanging near the door.

"Why can't it be this quiet during the day?" Alexander questioned rhetorically, as if it were my fault that the other personnel were so clamorous. Which of course it wasn't. Pulling the keys from my pocket, I unlocked the door and allowed him in first. Almost immediately I noticed the change in the air. Krystal's presence had disappeared.

"Excuse me," I bowed to Alexander, before rushing up to her room. A low growl built in my throat at what I found. Her scent had mixed with another mans. Leviathan. I could smell him from a mile away, and not in the good way. I could smell her fear. To a demon, fear was a compliment; however her fear should never be felt. My gaze flitted across the room, landing on the window. The opened latch stood out as if it were painted a bright glowing gold, and the evening breeze made the drapes gently sway.

Rage seared within me. I wanted the ground stained scarlet with Leviathan's lifeblood. That man had taken my love, and he would pay with his life. The luminescent moon shone bright with the promise of revenge, oh so slowly setting into the horizon.

**Previous night forgotten, I went about my normal duties. **I couldn't have somebody believing anything was off, or cause distress among the household. Raising suspicion was the last thing I needed at the moment. With breakfast set at the table, I stood and watched as Marlow, Aeron, and Alexander trickled in one after the other with only a few moments difference. Jacob and Alice and Theo had taken to performing their other duties, quietly for once. Or at least, they were far enough away that they couldn't be heard.

"Where's Krystal?" Alexander asked, glancing up at me. I simply shrugged in response. What exactly was I supposed to tell him? That she had been kidnapped by another demon? Or perhaps murdered or ran away? No option was very appealing at that moment.

"It's a shame she can't join us," Marlow said with a small pout. "She's such a pretty young woman."

"Yes…she is…" I said suspiciously, intently studying the features of the man. He seemed calm and un-bothered, though he wasn't quite as chipper as normal. Now, I'm not saying that that's a bad thing. Everyone needs a good break from the overexcited male. Sometimes I wonder if he matured correctly. His actions were all very childish. Even in serious situations he didn't seem to be effected by the ether.

Movement from the corner of my eye caused my head to automatically turn and see what was going on. Marlow, under the cover of the table, discretely slipped an onyx envelope with a burgundy candle wax seal, depicting the Fate family crest, to Aeron. This certainly caught my attention…

"Aeron, have you any news of your precious daughter?" I questioned, waiting until he slipped the envelope into his bleached coat inside pocket. His face was void of emotion as he looked at me, his coat unbuttoned and revealing his tanned, toned chest. His hands were folded in front of him, fully knowing that I had seen the transaction.

"Sadly, no; I haven't seen her since last night."

"What a shame…" I mused as I rubbed my chin thoughtfully. His lips twisted up into a slight smirk and he silently turned to walk out. It seemed as though this man was meddling yet again with my relationship. How far would he go this time? Only time would tell… The last time he interfered, things didn't end well for either of us.

"Oh don't look so serious, Damien," Marlow said with a playful smile. His voice ripped me from my thoughts, glancing over at him with a few blinks. Processing his words did take a moment, but I was able to respond shortly after he spoke.

"Marlow, how long do you intend to stay here?"

"I'll be leaving after breakfast," he informed.

"After just one night? What a shame; I would have loved to spend more time with you," I lied, a charming smile gracing my features. To be honest, I hated Marlow, but he could be very useful to me if he knew something about Krystal's disappearance. It's better to keep him around, just in case.

With a laugh, he stood up and grinned at me. "And here I thought you didn't like me," his voice teasing as he sauntered to me. "No matter. I've taken care of my business here, and I must be getting back. I promise to visit again soon if you're really itching to see me," he grinned, his eyes lighting up at the idea. With a sigh, I pinched the bridge of my nose taking a moment to breathe and regain my composure.

Years of practice with acting could come in handy now, and I fully intended to put it to use. After all, I knew the man had a bit of a soft spot for me despite our disagreement centuries ago. Easily morphing my expression, my lips curved up into a seductive smile and I tilted my head so that my raven hair fell at an angle, some hanging in my face.

"Well now, that's going to be a problem…" I began, my voice deep. "I hoped to talk to you." Slowly, oh so slowly, I began to back him up against the nearby wall; soon pinning him with my hand on each side of his head. One of my legs budged between his to give him no means of escape. His heart audibly accelerated in his chest, all color draining from his face.

"T-talk about what?" he stuttered.

"What was that letter you slipped to Aeron?" I questioned so only he and Aeron could hear me, leaning in close to him. Our lips were mere centimeters apart, my breath tickling his flesh. It took him a moment to think, and process what I had said.

"It was nothing that concerns you," he stated, a blush rising to his cheeks at the closeness. Now that wouldn't do at all. I knew he was lying.

"On the contrary," I chuckled, "It does concern me. Now…" my lips barely brushed against his, manner teasing. "What was in that letter you slipped to Aeron?" I repeated my question, demanding an answer. No way was I backing down from this. He knew something, and I was going to get it out of him by any means necessary. As much as I disliked this man, desperate times called for desperate measures.

My patience grew thin as he repeatedly refused my questioning. My chest slightly rumbled as a growl built, having to bite it back down. "Tell me," I purred into his ear, my tone washed of kindness and replaced with venom.

"Tell me," I repeated the command, eyes faintly glowing with my bloodlust. This time, instead of resisting, he melted to my request.

"It was a letter about Krystal," was all he said before he pushed me away and nearly ran out to get away from me. Yes, I did play dirty, but I had no other choice. A letter about Krystal, eh? That certainly was some important information. Straightening out my clothes, I turned and walked out of the dining room.


End file.
